happy humpday!

Yes, I know the original and 'normal' meaning of this day is because it's in the middle of the week, but I can't help but like to agree with this particular person that wrote the following definition on urbandictionary.com

6. hump day
wednesday, being at the center of the work week. makes an ideal day for humping to break up the tedium of the week. people love to hump, and hump day is the second best part of the week for humping, the best part being the weekend.
i wish i could celebrate hump day accordingly, but i'm stuck with just my hand and a bottle of jerkens.

wordless wednesday

What you can't see is that this painting has the most amazing texture. It gave me such inspiration and now I desperately want to try another painting to see if I can get a nice texture like that.

karma

I was reading my list of blogs this morning and came across myself mentioned on Dawn's blog. I've known Dawn for a few years through a particular scrapbooking site and really love her sense of humour, her great scrapping style, and recently .. her great works of sewn projects. Dawn passed on the Karma Award and included me as one of the lucky recipients. Thank you Dawn!

And here is what it means:
The Karma Award: These blogs are exceedingly charming.These kind of bloggers aim to find and be friends.They are not interested in self-aggrandizement.Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers.Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.
So I would like to pass this on to:

Jodene, Faye, Krista, Lael, Cori, Cindy, Pam, Lisa

artist

This is the artwork Alissa created, that was picked as one of the 6 from our school. Yesterday we went to the gallery to admire it, and to get photos. Alissa was tickled pink to see it matted and framed, looking so stunning up on the wall in and amongst all the other school district entries. She didn't win any of the 10 ribbons .. but she loved having the opportunity to have her work hung in a gallery that also is home to thousands of dollars worth of other artwork.

this and that

I have no clue what kind of tree this is, but I do love it's blooms and the pretty shade of pink they are. I'm quietly biting at the bit until the rhododendron's are in bloom, and then I'm in heaven. I love the colours, the smells, getting lost in the huge grove of them.

On a whole other note .. today is a pro-d day for the girls, and we're going to make our way downtown. Alissa's artwork made top 6 for the school, and is on display at a local gallery, so we'll be taking a peek at that, and then on to the library to refresh Hailey's supply. When I was about her age, maybe a little older, I fell in love with the Trixie Belden books, and I thought maybe Hailey might be interested in them as well. She's not a huge Nancy Drew fan, but Trixie isn't as straight laced as Nancy, so maybe that would make her stories a little more appealing?

Self portrait time again .. and its because I have the urge to show how happy I am right now. I'm so lucky to have a very special man that puts a smile on my face many times a day with the little things he does or says. Happiness is such an intoxicating feeling, and when things start lining up in ones life .. making all aspects of that life seem so perfect .. you can't help but smile and say 'ahhhh'!

humour me

I glanced at myself in the mirror this morning, and happened to notice this small bruise on my upper arm. Right away to me it looked like a heart. I tried darkening the photo to make it look more noticeable, but you'll have to humour me if you don't see it .. just pretend I'm not crazy. Really, I'm not!

proof

Here's proof that spring is most definitely here!

saturday

it's a sunny, but pretty windy day out there .. and I do plan on getting out for just a wee bit of fresh air once I have my bedding processed through the laundry. The house is quiet yet again, as the girls are of spending time with their dad, and then Hailey's heading to her very first sleepover. Yes, I'm one of those mothers that couldn't allow the apron strings to loosen enough for a sleepover until now. She's nearly 10, and the friend is one she's known since Kindergarten, and I know the parents quite well. You can never be too cautious, right? RIGHT!

TGIF!

It's friday! In a way, the week seemed to go by quickly, yet also so very slowly. Why is it that it can feel both ways at the very same time?

I had plans of meeting up with my oldest sister, over on the mainland. She and her hubby were down, taking care of matters to do with his parents, and although a very short trip, they'd have fit in a few hours to visit with me. The girls and I were going to take the ferry over, and enjoy some lunch and visiting. But our plans fell through (which is totally nobody's fault), so the girls will go to school now, and I'll study.
Tonight is my movie date night with J, and we have a couple good movies lined up for the weekend. Somehow life seems great when you're spending it with good people and doing some favourite past times. :)

it's a purse!

My scrapping friend, Dawn, posted a link to a purse pattern the other day, as well as she made one herself too .. and I knew the moment I saw it, it would make the perfect gift for one of Hailey's friends. She's just turned 10, and what 10 yr old doesn't want another purse? The fabric is perfect for a fun spring/summer bag to tuck anything a little young lady likes to pack along with her to any given event or outing.

I made my own personal changes to the pattern, and voila .. we have a purse. Cute hey?

wordless wednesday

Another sign of spring! I feel a little badly for the birds that used to cozy up in this nest. With the high winds we've had .. Alissa found this nest on the ground .. abandoned.

jason reeves

His sound, his style .. I think I could listen to him all day.

beautiful - jason reeves

Someone Somewhere - Jason Reeves

questions

I found this on a friend's facebook page and thought I'd use it here, since I'm struggling for content at the moment.

1. First thing you wash in the shower? My hair
2. What color is your favorite hoodie? pink and it's the only one I own
3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? yes! She's so kissable!
4. Do you plan outfits? yeah .. but I wear jeans mostly and it's pretty easy to coordinate shirts with jeans.
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? pretty good! Had my coffee, the sun's shining! Ahh
6. Whats the closest thing to you that is red? a candle
7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having? Mmmm .. now if that kiss were my last one, then YESSSS I'd be kissing him again!
8. Did you meet anybody new today? not so far
9. What are you craving right now? breakfast .. I'm hungry!
10. Do you floss? yes .. a couple times a week .. not often enough I know.
11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? coleslaw
12. Are you emotional? haha .. YES!
13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? yeah of course
14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? I do both
15. Do you like your hair? yeah, pretty much .. aside from the grey that appears every month or so and needs a fresh colouring.
16. Do you like yourself? I do now!
17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? No, I'd pass on that date.
18. What are you listening to right now? the hum of the computer
19. Are your parents strict? Yes, the were when I was a child. If telling you my curfew was 10pm when I was 18 says anything.
20. Would you go sky diving? Nope .. I'm petrified of heights
21. Do you like cottage cheese? Yes
22. Have you ever met a celebrity? no :( I need to change that!
23. Do you rent movies often? every single week
24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in? yes, the sun shining on some candle holders is about as close to sparkly as it gets right now
25. How many countries have you visited? just one
26. Have you made a prank phone call? yeah .. but I was a young and stupid .. and there was no call display in those days.
27. Ever been on a train? if you count the kind that's at the small amusement type parks, but not a 'real' train.
28. Brown or white eggs? white
29.Do you have a cell-phone? yes
30. Do you use chap stick? I'm addicted to it!
31. Do you own a gun? no
32. Can you use chop sticks? no
33. Who are you going to be with tonight? my girls
34. Are you too forgiving? nope, there has to be some effort made
35. Ever been in love? yes, and am again and it's a wonderful feeling!
36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow? working
37. Ever have cream puffs? mmm yummy, yes!
38. Last time you cried? Saturday
39. What was the last question you asked? 'did you reset your alarm?'
40. Favorite time of the year? summer
41. Do you have any tattoos? yes, one .. and would like to get another one day before I die
42. Are you sarcastic? yes sometimes
43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? it sounds familiar and I may have, but can't recall
44. Ever walked into a wall? Yes
45. Favorite color? pink/orange/brown
46. Have you ever slapped someone? Yes
47. Is your hair curly? no, but I have a slight wave
48. What was the last CD you bought? I have NO clue!
49. Do looks matter? I'd be lying if I said no
50. Could you ever forgive a cheater? I'm not sure.
51. Is your phone bill sky high? not anymore
52. Do you like your life right now? yes, knowing the upcoming changes will make it a perfect life when the time is right.
53. Do you sleep with the TV on? I fall asleep with it on, but usually set the sleep.
54. Can you handle the truth? I may not like it much, but I prefer it to lies
55. Do you have good vision? it's not horrible, but I do wear contacts, so yeah .. bad enough to need a little intervention.
56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? Yes, I do
57. How often do you talk on the phone? every. single. day!
58. The last person you held hands with? Alissa, on our walk home from school.
59. What are you wearing? capri's, tank top and fleece (aka my jammies)
60.What is your favorite animal? Giraffe
61. Where was your default picture taken at? in my home, by me!
62. Can you hula hoop? I have the swing of my hips down pat, but can't hoola for anything.
63. Do you have a job? I think it's a job .. taking care of my girls.
64. What was the most recent thing you bought? car parts
65. Have you ever crawled through a window? yep

quick note

I didn't have much time to post anything here today, but I had a really great day! I hung out with one of my most favourite people in the entire world .. got my car back all fixed and ready for an oil change, but the brakes work like a charm .. had to take Hailey to the doc for a inhaler refill .. enjoyed abit of the warm temps after picking Alissa up from school .. and we're topping the day off with double chocolate brownies. I NEEDED chocolate for over a week, and FINALLY am getting it! Mmm!

the end of a sunday

The girls are in the bath, I'm downloading a couple songs for them, and we're gearing down for an early night to bed. Miss Sickie is still sick, coughing all over us, looking tired and a tad listless, and in dire need of an early night before her droopy eyes close while doing something constructive. And Miss Tease actually had a good day and wasn't as annoying as she can be. Their behaviour was so good, in fact, that I was able to spend many hours on the phone, and beside the occasional interruption, they didn't fight!
But it's a school night, and we all need a little extra rest.

zzzzzzzz

By the time this posts, I'll have had a relaxing evening, maybe had a glass of wine from the bottle I didn't polish off last weekend, stayed up far past my 'bedtime', snuggled in bed and watched some TV until I drifted off to sleep.
Today was draining. I felt like I was up against the wall in the parenting department, and whichever way I turned, I went head first into another referee moment. One child isn't feeling 100% and thus, easily hurt, brought to tears, impatient and rather cranky unless left alone. The other is her normal self. Which poses a problem, if you knew her you'd understand.
Hopefully over the next while, I can be consistent with things and rule the roost like I should be. Afterall, I AM the queen of this house .. they should be so lucky to be in my presence. :P I'm kidding! But I'm going to demand respect and perfect behavior, if I can find my backbone that is.

A couple weeks ago, when Hailey and I spent some time down along the seawall, we thought that it would be fun to do a little balancing like she's done on many MANY occasions. The tide was up, the little resevoirs were full, and it would be fun .. right? Wrong!

I have this little fear in the form of heights. And even tho the water was just inches from my feet, I could see clear to the bottom of the resevoir, and it was to much for me to handle. I did put on a very brave face and walked out behind Hailey as far as she wanted to go before deciding we'd turn back. Turning around was a sight, let me tell you. You know when you're panicking .. you just can't make your body do what your brains trying to tell it to do? That was how my feet were reacting. I just couldn't make myself turn around on such a narrow perch. I have the worst balance to start off with, so I had visions of falling into the c-c-c-old salty water and landing up with a soaking wet me! I did manage to take control of myself and turn around, and Hailey was nice enough not to make fun of her freaked out Mom. I still have my pride intact. :)

spring concert photos

The spring concert was based on 'Its a Wonderful World' and each class from the school performed different styles of music. There were rockers, rappers, hip hoppers, african drumming, orchestral, and the grade 6 and 7 bands played a couple numbers as well.

Hailey's grade 4/5 class performed an African Tribal song, as well as another one. (hence the head dress)

Alissa's class didn't sing .. but they danced with their paper top hats and canes, to an adorable "doobop" song.


And Hailey is in the choir again this year, and they performed "Its a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
and they even signed to it. I have video of each of the girls performances, but there's to many innocent faces I'd be exposing, to share them here.

*on a total side note .. I'm not a fan of gymnasium lighting! Why do performances always have to be in the gym, where a parent can't get decent photos of their beloved offspring?

.... 98

I hadn't intended to take a test today, but after having some very helpful quizzing from J .. he suggested I take the test while it was still so fresh in my mind. We didn't cover everything that ended up on the test, and I did a lot of self doubting while I was taking the test, but it does help most of it is multiple choice. There was a section I had to use one word definitions and that's where I got the one wrong answer. But I'll take a 98% happily, thankyouverymuch! :)
Now on to the prefixes. I swear I'll be dreaming medical terms, and talking in my sleep too!

wordless wednesday

I can't keep it completely wordless because I'm far to chatty of a person to do that. But these dandelions are popping up all over the place and for me, that's a true sign of spring. The girls picked some on the way home from school yesterday, and I put them in a vase of water, but they don't last long when rooted up from the ground. It was nice for the short while, to have colour sitting in the form of flowers, upon my table.

Don't forget .. it's humpday today! Make sure you commemorate the day! ;)

better today

I had a little talk with my Mom yesterday afteroon, and she said something that triggered something in my thoughts. I am now just going to enjoy the here and now and let the worries and decisions of tomorrow come when they may.

Have a listen to this song. It says it all.

better today - ne-yo

*sigh*

This strange mood has come over me, and although I can function and do everything I need to do .. when I quiet myself, the tears come far to easily. I can't be happier with myself, my current life, how far I've come through the winter, the love I feel from my daughters, friends and family, and the deep connection and love I get from the one person I have come to love so very much.
I feel grounded and secure, and like I'm moving ahead and in a positive direction with all parts of my life. Yet I also feel INsecure, alone, overwhelmed, insufficient as a mother, needy and emotional as a girlfriend, and disconnecting from family. With spring here, I thought my winter moods would lift and life would be bright like daffodils, smell of lilacs, and feel like the warm sun.
I need to shake this funk!

This acoustic version of Take Me Away by Lifehouse is dedicated to my J!

Lifehouse - Take me away (acou -

more easter goodness

Here's the last of the Easter activities I wanted to share. The girls had great fun dying their eggs, and then later Hailey and I had an egg war with hers. Alissa was pretty adamant about keeping hers in a jar on her dresser until I talked her into peeling them. She doesn't eat eggs, but the way she 'peeled' them was so Alissa. The only part edible enough after her smashing, were the yolks.

Today the sun is shining and I think a walk for some fresh air may be on the agenda. Hailey had a great idea of picking up garbage to help the environment, and she did abit around our complex yesterday, but we'll have to bring a bag along as we walk around the neighbourhood.